PRINTS stands for Parents' Roles INteracting with Teacher Support. PRINTS is a family literacy program mainly for parents/guardians of preschool children.

Mary Cronin, Ph. D.

Mary Cronin was one of my best friends!

She was the co-author, with me, of the PRINTS (Family Literacy) Program. She was a professor at the University of Regina, a strong supporter of the Early Learning Centre, Regina; a "friend" of the First Nations People, an initiator and co-author of Aboriginal PRINTS; a social activist, and a staunch Irish woman.

Mary died on March 12, 2006 after a five and a half year struggle with ovarian cancer, and left a gap that will never be filled. No one could match her boundless energy and enthusiasm. Mary always had many irons in the fire and was remarkable in that everything went smoothly and no one got burned.

Mary was an inspiration for all who knew her. She determined that she would be in control of her life, her health and illness and she took all measures available to exert that control. To the very end, her mind was active in exerting that control. Mary not only saw the proverbial glass as being half-filled (rather than half-empty), but she also asked, "What can I do with the half-filled glass" because Mary saw purpose in life and for her there was a purpose for everything.

Mary came from Muckross, County Kerry, Ireland and by way of the University of Alberta, Edmonton (where I met her), and where she completed her Masters and Doctorate degrees, to the University of Regina.